Toll Like Receptors (TLRs) are endogenous pattern recognition receptors that recognize exogenous pathogen and endogenous danger associated molecular patterns (PAMPs and DAMPs). TLRs are upregulated in neurodegenerative proteinopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), and may lead to excessive inflammatory signaling.
Effective therapy for AD, PD and related neurodegenerative diseases remains a huge unmet medical need. Immunotherapeutic approaches remain a major focus of the effort to develop effect disease modifying therapeutics for AD. As opposed to secretase inhibitors that target Aβ production, anti-Aβ immunotherapies have potential to clear preexisting deposits, neutralize toxic Aβ aggregates, or both; thus, there is better rationale for testing immunotherapies in patients with preexisting pathology. In addition, specific immunotherapies that may be capable of targeting tau and α-synuclein are of interest.